29.1 The wicket is broken
The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground.
29.2 Breaking the wicket fairly
29.2.1 The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground,
29.2.1.1 by the ball,
29.2.1.2 by the striker’s bat if held or by any part of the bat that he/she is holding,
29.2.1.3 for the purpose of this law only, by the striker’s bat not in hand, or by any part of the bat which has become detached,
29.2.1.4 by the striker’s person or by any part of his/her clothing or equipment becoming detached from his/her person. However, any detached equipment shall not include the striker’s protective helmet, or any part thereof, as defined in Appendix A.2.3,
29.2.1.5 by a fielder with his/her hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.
29.2.1.6 The wicket is also broken fairly if a fielder strikes or pulls a stump out of the ground as in 29.2.1.5.
29.2.2 The disturbance of a bail, whether temporary or not, shall not constitute its complete removal from the top of the stumps, but if a bail in falling lodges between two of the stumps this shall be regarded as complete removal.
29.3 One bail off
If one bail is off, it shall be sufficient for the purpose of breaking the wicket to remove the remaining bail or to strike or pull any of the three stumps out of the ground, in any of the ways stated in 29.2.
29.4 Remaking wicket
If a wicket is broken while the ball is in play, it shall not be remade by an umpire until the ball is dead. See Law 20 (Dead ball). Any fielder may, however, while the ball is in play,
- replace a bail or bails on top of the stumps.
- put back one or more stumps into the ground where the wicket originally stood.
29.5 Dispensing with bails
If the umpires have agreed to dispense with bails in accordance with Law 8.5 (Dispensing with bails), it is for the umpire concerned to decide whether or not the wicket has been broken.
29.5.1 After a decision to play without bails, the wicket has been broken fairly if the umpire concerned is satisfied that the wicket has been struck by the ball, by the striker’s bat, person or items of his/her clothing or equipment as described in 29.2.1.2, 29.2.1.3 or 29.2.1.4, or by a fielder in the manner described in 29.2.1.5.
29.5.2 If the wicket has already been broken, 29.5.1 shall apply to any stump or stumps still in the ground. Any fielder may replace a stump or stumps, in accordance with 29.4, in order to have an opportunity of breaking the wicket fairly.
© Marylebone Cricket Club 2017